Installer internals

Velaclaw ships three installer scripts, served from velaclaw.ai.

Script	Platform	What it does
`install.sh`	macOS / Linux / WSL	Installs Node if needed, installs Velaclaw via npm (default) or git, and can run onboarding.
`install-cli.sh`	macOS / Linux / WSL	Installs Node + Velaclaw into a local prefix (`~/.velaclaw`) with npm or git checkout modes. No root required.
`install.ps1`	Windows (PowerShell)	Installs Node if needed, installs Velaclaw via npm (default) or git, and can run onboarding.

Quick commands

install.sh
install-cli.sh
install.ps1

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://velaclaw.ai/install.sh | bash

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://velaclaw.ai/install.sh | bash -s -- --help

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://velaclaw.ai/install-cli.sh | bash

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://velaclaw.ai/install-cli.sh | bash -s -- --help

iwr -useb https://velaclaw.ai/install.ps1 | iex

& ([scriptblock]::Create((iwr -useb https://velaclaw.ai/install.ps1))) -Tag beta -NoOnboard -DryRun

If install succeeds but velaclaw is not found in a new terminal, see Node.js troubleshooting.

install.sh

Recommended for most interactive installs on macOS/Linux/WSL.

Flow (install.sh)

Detect OS

Supports macOS and Linux (including WSL). If macOS is detected, installs Homebrew if missing.

Ensure Node.js 24 by default

Checks Node version and installs Node 24 if needed (Homebrew on macOS, NodeSource setup scripts on Linux apt/dnf/yum). Velaclaw still supports Node 22 LTS, currently 22.14+, for compatibility.

Ensure Git

Installs Git if missing.

Install Velaclaw

npm method (default): global npm install
git method: clone/update repo, install deps with pnpm, build, then install wrapper at ~/.local/bin/velaclaw

Post-install tasks

Refreshes a loaded gateway service best-effort (velaclaw gateway install --force, then restart)
Runs velaclaw doctor --non-interactive on upgrades and git installs (best effort)
Attempts onboarding when appropriate (TTY available, onboarding not disabled, and bootstrap/config checks pass)
Defaults SHARP_IGNORE_GLOBAL_LIBVIPS=1

Source checkout detection

If run inside an Velaclaw checkout (package.json + pnpm-workspace.yaml), the script offers:

use checkout (git), or
use global install (npm)

If no TTY is available and no install method is set, it defaults to npm and warns. The script exits with code 2 for invalid method selection or invalid --install-method values.

Examples (install.sh)

Default
Skip onboarding
Git install
GitHub main via npm
Dry run

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://velaclaw.ai/install.sh | bash

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://velaclaw.ai/install.sh | bash -s -- --no-onboard

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://velaclaw.ai/install.sh | bash -s -- --install-method git

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://velaclaw.ai/install.sh | bash -s -- --version main

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://velaclaw.ai/install.sh | bash -s -- --dry-run

Flags reference

Flag	Description
`--install-method npm\|git`	Choose install method (default: `npm`). Alias: `--method`
`--npm`	Shortcut for npm method
`--git`	Shortcut for git method. Alias: `--github`
`--version <version\|dist-tag\|spec>`	npm version, dist-tag, or package spec (default: `latest`)
`--beta`	Use beta dist-tag if available, else fallback to `latest`
`--git-dir <path>`	Checkout directory (default: `~/velaclaw`). Alias: `--dir`
`--no-git-update`	Skip `git pull` for existing checkout
`--no-prompt`	Disable prompts
`--no-onboard`	Skip onboarding
`--onboard`	Enable onboarding
`--dry-run`	Print actions without applying changes
`--verbose`	Enable debug output (`set -x`, npm notice-level logs)
`--help`	Show usage (`-h`)

Environment variables reference

Variable	Description
`VELACLAW_INSTALL_METHOD=git\|npm`	Install method
`VELACLAW_VERSION=latest\|next\|main\|<semver>\|<spec>`	npm version, dist-tag, or package spec
`VELACLAW_BETA=0\|1`	Use beta if available
`VELACLAW_GIT_DIR=<path>`	Checkout directory
`VELACLAW_GIT_UPDATE=0\|1`	Toggle git updates
`VELACLAW_NO_PROMPT=1`	Disable prompts
`VELACLAW_NO_ONBOARD=1`	Skip onboarding
`VELACLAW_DRY_RUN=1`	Dry run mode
`VELACLAW_VERBOSE=1`	Debug mode
`VELACLAW_NPM_LOGLEVEL=error\|warn\|notice`	npm log level
`SHARP_IGNORE_GLOBAL_LIBVIPS=0\|1`	Control sharp/libvips behavior (default: `1`)

install-cli.sh

Designed for environments where you want everything under a local prefix (default ~/.velaclaw) and no system Node dependency. Supports npm installs by default, plus git-checkout installs under the same prefix flow.

Flow (install-cli.sh)

Install local Node runtime

Downloads a pinned supported Node LTS tarball (the version is embedded in the script and updated independently) to <prefix>/tools/node-v<version> and verifies SHA-256.

Ensure Git

If Git is missing, attempts install via apt/dnf/yum on Linux or Homebrew on macOS.

Install Velaclaw under prefix

npm method (default): installs under the prefix with npm, then writes wrapper to <prefix>/bin/velaclaw
git method: clones/updates a checkout (default ~/velaclaw) and still writes the wrapper to <prefix>/bin/velaclaw

Refresh loaded gateway service

If a gateway service is already loaded from that same prefix, the script runs velaclaw gateway install --force, then velaclaw gateway restart, and probes gateway health best-effort.

Examples (install-cli.sh)

Default
Custom prefix + version
Git install
Automation JSON output
Run onboarding

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://velaclaw.ai/install-cli.sh | bash

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://velaclaw.ai/install-cli.sh | bash -s -- --prefix /opt/velaclaw --version latest

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://velaclaw.ai/install-cli.sh | bash -s -- --install-method git --git-dir ~/velaclaw

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://velaclaw.ai/install-cli.sh | bash -s -- --json --prefix /opt/velaclaw

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://velaclaw.ai/install-cli.sh | bash -s -- --onboard

Flags reference

Flag	Description
`--prefix <path>`	Install prefix (default: `~/.velaclaw`)
`--install-method npm\|git`	Choose install method (default: `npm`). Alias: `--method`
`--npm`	Shortcut for npm method
`--git`, `--github`	Shortcut for git method
`--git-dir <path>`	Git checkout directory (default: `~/velaclaw`). Alias: `--dir`
`--version <ver>`	Velaclaw version or dist-tag (default: `latest`)
`--node-version <ver>`	Node version (default: `22.22.0`)
`--json`	Emit NDJSON events
`--onboard`	Run `velaclaw onboard` after install
`--no-onboard`	Skip onboarding (default)
`--set-npm-prefix`	On Linux, force npm prefix to `~/.npm-global` if current prefix is not writable
`--help`	Show usage (`-h`)

Environment variables reference

Variable	Description
`VELACLAW_PREFIX=<path>`	Install prefix
`VELACLAW_INSTALL_METHOD=git\|npm`	Install method
`VELACLAW_VERSION=<ver>`	Velaclaw version or dist-tag
`VELACLAW_NODE_VERSION=<ver>`	Node version
`VELACLAW_GIT_DIR=<path>`	Git checkout directory for git installs
`VELACLAW_GIT_UPDATE=0\|1`	Toggle git updates for existing checkouts
`VELACLAW_NO_ONBOARD=1`	Skip onboarding
`VELACLAW_NPM_LOGLEVEL=error\|warn\|notice`	npm log level
`SHARP_IGNORE_GLOBAL_LIBVIPS=0\|1`	Control sharp/libvips behavior (default: `1`)

install.ps1

Flow (install.ps1)

Ensure PowerShell + Windows environment

Requires PowerShell 5+.

Ensure Node.js 24 by default

If missing, attempts install via winget, then Chocolatey, then Scoop. Node 22 LTS, currently 22.14+, remains supported for compatibility.

Install Velaclaw

npm method (default): global npm install using selected -Tag
git method: clone/update repo, install/build with pnpm, and install wrapper at %USERPROFILE%\.local\bin\velaclaw.cmd

Post-install tasks

Adds needed bin directory to user PATH when possible
Refreshes a loaded gateway service best-effort (velaclaw gateway install --force, then restart)
Runs velaclaw doctor --non-interactive on upgrades and git installs (best effort)

Examples (install.ps1)

iwr -useb https://velaclaw.ai/install.ps1 | iex

& ([scriptblock]::Create((iwr -useb https://velaclaw.ai/install.ps1))) -InstallMethod git

& ([scriptblock]::Create((iwr -useb https://velaclaw.ai/install.ps1))) -Tag main

& ([scriptblock]::Create((iwr -useb https://velaclaw.ai/install.ps1))) -InstallMethod git -GitDir "C:\velaclaw"

& ([scriptblock]::Create((iwr -useb https://velaclaw.ai/install.ps1))) -DryRun

# install.ps1 has no dedicated -Verbose flag yet.
Set-PSDebug -Trace 1
& ([scriptblock]::Create((iwr -useb https://velaclaw.ai/install.ps1))) -NoOnboard
Set-PSDebug -Trace 0

Flags reference

Flag	Description
`-InstallMethod npm\|git`	Install method (default: `npm`)
`-Tag <tag\|version\|spec>`	npm dist-tag, version, or package spec (default: `latest`)
`-GitDir <path>`	Checkout directory (default: `%USERPROFILE%\velaclaw`)
`-NoOnboard`	Skip onboarding
`-NoGitUpdate`	Skip `git pull`
`-DryRun`	Print actions only

Environment variables reference

Variable	Description
`VELACLAW_INSTALL_METHOD=git\|npm`	Install method
`VELACLAW_GIT_DIR=<path>`	Checkout directory
`VELACLAW_NO_ONBOARD=1`	Skip onboarding
`VELACLAW_GIT_UPDATE=0`	Disable git pull
`VELACLAW_DRY_RUN=1`	Dry run mode

If -InstallMethod git is used and Git is missing, the script exits and prints the Git for Windows link.

CI and automation

Use non-interactive flags/env vars for predictable runs.

install.sh (non-interactive npm)
install.sh (non-interactive git)
install-cli.sh (JSON)
install.ps1 (skip onboarding)

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://velaclaw.ai/install.sh | bash -s -- --no-prompt --no-onboard

VELACLAW_INSTALL_METHOD=git VELACLAW_NO_PROMPT=1 \
  curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://velaclaw.ai/install.sh | bash

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://velaclaw.ai/install-cli.sh | bash -s -- --json --prefix /opt/velaclaw

& ([scriptblock]::Create((iwr -useb https://velaclaw.ai/install.ps1))) -NoOnboard

Troubleshooting

Why is Git required?

Git is required for git install method. For npm installs, Git is still checked/installed to avoid spawn git ENOENT failures when dependencies use git URLs.

Why does npm hit EACCES on Linux?

Some Linux setups point npm global prefix to root-owned paths. install.sh can switch prefix to ~/.npm-global and append PATH exports to shell rc files (when those files exist).

sharp/libvips issues

The scripts default SHARP_IGNORE_GLOBAL_LIBVIPS=1 to avoid sharp building against system libvips. To override:

SHARP_IGNORE_GLOBAL_LIBVIPS=0 curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://velaclaw.ai/install.sh | bash

Windows: "npm error spawn git / ENOENT"

Install Git for Windows, reopen PowerShell, rerun installer.

Windows: "velaclaw is not recognized"

Run npm config get prefix and add that directory to your user PATH (no \bin suffix needed on Windows), then reopen PowerShell.

Windows: how to get verbose installer output

install.ps1 does not currently expose a -Verbose switch. Use PowerShell tracing for script-level diagnostics:

Set-PSDebug -Trace 1
& ([scriptblock]::Create((iwr -useb https://velaclaw.ai/install.ps1))) -NoOnboard
Set-PSDebug -Trace 0

velaclaw not found after install

Usually a PATH issue. See Node.js troubleshooting.

Install overview

Containers

Hosting

Maintenance

Installer Internals

Installer internals

Quick commands

install.sh

Flow (install.sh)

Source checkout detection

Examples (install.sh)

install-cli.sh

Flow (install-cli.sh)

Examples (install-cli.sh)

install.ps1

Flow (install.ps1)

Examples (install.ps1)

CI and automation

Troubleshooting

​Installer internals

​Quick commands

​install.sh

​Flow (install.sh)

​Source checkout detection

​Examples (install.sh)

​install-cli.sh

​Flow (install-cli.sh)

​Examples (install-cli.sh)

​install.ps1

​Flow (install.ps1)

​Examples (install.ps1)

​CI and automation

​Troubleshooting

Installer internals

Quick commands

install.sh

Flow (install.sh)

Source checkout detection

Examples (install.sh)

install-cli.sh

Flow (install-cli.sh)

Examples (install-cli.sh)

install.ps1

Flow (install.ps1)

Examples (install.ps1)

CI and automation

Troubleshooting